Improvement in lasts for boots and shoes



w. H. nounns.

Lasts for Boots and Shoes.

, Patented April 15, 1873.

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AM ruoruumoswum ca 11.x (ossomvsl FRO A'rmv'r WILLIAM H. ROUNDS, OFGAMPELLO, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAS'TS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,799, dated April15, 1873; application filcd February 24, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. RoUNDs, of (lampello, in the county ofPlymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inLasts for Boots and Shoes, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawingmaking part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plane of thebottom of a last having my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 2 is avertical section through the center of the same, with an inner solesecured thereto by my improved device. Fig. 3 is a perspective view(enlarged) of one of the pins by which the sole is secured to the last.

In the operation of lasting a boot or shoe, it has heretofore beencustomary to temporarily fasten the inner sole to the bottom of the lastby a few ordinaryshoepegs driven through the sole into holes in the lastpreviously made by an awl. This necessitated three distinct operationsFirst, the boring of the hole with the awl through the inner sole andinto the bottom of thelast; secondly, the picking up of the peg andinserting it into the hole so made; and, lastly, the driving of the peg,which is usually accomplished with the iron handle of the awl. Theseoperations,

' frequently repeated, consumed considerable time; furthermore, thecontinual driving of pegs into the bottom of the last frequently causesit to split and become useless, while the portions of the bottom of thelast where the pegs are driven become so crowded therewith as to renderit extremely difficult to bore a hole with an awl, each peg being brokenoff and remaining in the last when the latter is withdrawn from the bootor shoe. My invention has for its object to overcome all of theseobjections, and effect a saving in time and labor and consists in a lasthaving its bottom provided with permanent metallic pins projecting fromits surface, the inner sole being forced onto these pins by striking itwith any suitable tool, whereby it is held securely in place without thenecessity of driving in wooden pegs, as heretofore. v

To enable others skilled in the art to un derstand and use my invention,I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawing, A represents an ordinary last, into the bottom ofwhich are driven, at suitable points, three steel pins, 1), which aresharpened at their lower ends to facilitate the operation of drivingthem, and each one is provided near its top with a projection or flange,0, extending entirely around it. When the pins b are driven in (which isaccomplished by boring a hole with an awl and then forcing them downwith a set or other suitable tool) the flanges c are countersunk, asseen in Fig. 2, so that their upper surfaces will lie flush with thebottom of the last, above which project the portions of the pins abovethe flanges 0. These projecting portions I prefer to make square, asshown; but they may be of other form in cross-section. When it isdesired to fasten the inner sole B to the bottom of the last it ismerely necessary to force it down over the pins 1) by strikingit withtheawl-handle or other suitable tool, the projectin g ends of the pins I)being of such length that they will pass wholly or partially through theinner sole, and thus hold it securely in place as required, whereby I amenabled to save the time heretofore required in boring the holes andpicking up the pegs, as well as the cost of the latter, and also avoidall liability of splitting the last, as heretofore. The flanges orprojections c prevent the pins b from being forced .into the last by theoperation of driving the inner sole down thereon.

It will be 'seen'that the portion of each pin above the flange 0,instead of being brought to a point at its upper end, is of the samesize throughout, which gives it a firm hold in the leather, but admitsof the sole being easily drawn off when the last is taken out of theboot or shoe.

Claim.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- A last having its bottom provided with projeeting pins 1),constructed of the same size, above the flange c, and over. which theinner sole is to be forced or driven, substantially as

